The present invention relates to a card reader, and particularly to a manual insertion hybrid dip card reader.
A hybrid card reader is a card reader that can read a magnetic stripe card, a smart card (also referred to as an integrated circuit card), and a combined magnetic stripe and smart card. To read a magnetic stripe, the stripe must move relative to a magnetic read head; however, to read a smart card having conducting terminals, the card terminals must align, make contact, and remain in contact with terminals used for reading the smart card.
A dip card reader is a reader that does not have any transport mechanism for automatically transporting a card (unlike a motorized card reader/writer module), but a dip reader does receive and support an inserted card (unlike a swipe card reader). To use a dip reader, a user must manually insert his/her card, typically short edge first, and then manually remove the card.
A hybrid dip card reader typically comprises a housing having a guide portion extending therefrom. The guide portion is generally u-shaped, defines recesses for receiving opposite long edges of a card, and includes a magnetic read head. The housing contains pivoting read/write smart card terminals that are lowered by a leading edge of an inserted card so that when the card has been fully inserted the read/write terminals align with and contact the card terminals on the card.
Hybrid dip card readers are used in apparatus, such as an automated teller machine (ATM), where a user may insert a magnetic stripe card, a smart card, or a combined magnetic stripe and smart card to conduct a transaction.
If a magnetic card is used, then the user typically inserts and then immediately removes the card to initiate a transaction. However, if a combined magnetic and smart card is used, then the dip reader locks the card in the reader using a pin shutter.
One disadvantage of such a hybrid dip reader is that when a user""s card engages with the pivoting terminals, the card slows down due to the force required to move the pivoting terminals. This change in speed of the card reduces the possibility of the magnetic read head from accurately reading the magnetic stripe on the card. For this reason, in some applications a magnetic stripe card is read on removal rather than on insertion.
Another disadvantage of such an arrangement is that a user may not know whether he/she has to insert and remove the card, or insert and leave the card in place. If a user inserts a card and attempts to withdraw it immediately, but the dip reader locks the card, then the user may experience an unpleasant jarring sensation, which may also damage the card and/or the card reader. This may reduce the usability of the card reader and may discourage users from using the card reader again.
It is among the objects of an embodiment of the present invention to obviate or mitigate one or more of the above disadvantages or other disadvantages associated with card readers.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a card reader comprising a magnetic read head for reading a magnetic stripe, and an integrated circuit interface for reading terminals on an integrated circuit card, characterized in that the interface is mounted on a moveable carrier for moving relative to the magnetic read head while the interface is coupled to the card terminals.
By virtue of this aspect of the invention the card reader interface is able to read data from the card terminals while the card is being inserted and moving relative to the magnetic read head.
If the interface is coupled to the card at the beginning of the insertion sequence, then there is no change in force required to insert the card fully. As there is no change in force required, the probability of a card being inserted at a constant rate is increased. This increases the probability of the magnetic read head being able to read a magnetic stripe accurately. This also allows the card reader to determine if the card has any terminals prior to the card being fully inserted rather than after the card has been fully inserted.
Preferably, the carrier is biased towards an entrance of the card reader, so that an inserted card engages with the interface at the start of the insertion sequence. In preferred embodiments, the carrier is biased nearer the entrance than the magnetic read head so that the interface is in contact with the card terminals prior to a magnetic stripe on the card passing over the magnetic read head.
Preferably, the interface is pivotably mounted on the carrier. Preferably, the interface co-operates with a surface of the card reader so that as a leading edge of an integrated circuit card is inserted the interface is lowered into contact with terminals on the card.
Preferably, the card reader includes a shutter for locking an inserted card within the card reader.
Preferably, the shutter is resiliently mounted to the card reader so that the shutter allows some movement of a trapped card. This provides an improved user interface as it avoids the jarring effect of a user attempting to remove a card that has been locked by the shutter.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a self-service terminal (SST) incorporating a card reader according to the first aspect of the invention.
The SST may be an automated teller machine (ATM). Alternatively, the SST may be a retail point of sale (PoS) terminal.